Floaters

Floaters since five years here. Like 40 dots and lines moving in the field of vision, was a little bit down about it for a while but nothing compared to T. Floaters you can escape but i must admit that a snowy sunny bright day can be hard.

 

I started getting floaters around 12 years ago. I'm 42. No biggie. They are a piece of cake compared to my recently started Tinnitus.

 

The sparkly ones are 'blue field entoptic phenomenon', nothing in your eyes - just blood movement and perfectly natural.

The ones that you can drag around by swivelling your eyes, they're the floaty bits. Got them a few years back, possibly diet related, most eventually 'settled' out of my main eye line. Apparently gravity eventually drags some of them out of the way. I've not read that they dissolve naturally.

We humans are rather fragile creatures aren't we!

 

I first got a dark eye floater that's in the corner of my left eye a year ago. When I look to the right it floats toward the center and then disappears. It is only seen in sunlight or fluorescent light. I then developed a few more dark ones that are closer to the center that float around a general area. I see them in the sunlight and when using the computer.

A second type developed about 6 months ago that is translucent small blotch. It's annoying because it's noticeable when using LCD screens and just darts about around the center of the eye.

I saw the opthamologist about it and she said I had 20/20 vision. Her explanation was because of my good eye sight, I could be seeing an odd blood vessel. After doing research on eye floaters, it was obviously this was a miss diagnosis. Most eye doctors seem to be ill equipped/don't care about treating this problem.

If want to get this treated I would probably have to go down to the states.

This guy seems to be a pioneer in treating eye floaters and his website is also a good resource:

http://www.eyefloaters.com/

 

So it appears I have joined the Tinnitus Talk Floaters Club!

I just got back from the eye doctor, as I had the symptoms of a retinal tear, which can become serious fast. Turns out the strange little pale cloud that sometimes creeps into the corner of my left eye is a floater. So far its sporadic and not at all annoying. Mine looks like a fuzzy little blur. Hope it stays this way. Never had floaters before in my life. Funny how so many people with T have them, although I cant imagine there is a connection.

 

@LadyDi I don't think the connection is distinctly between T and floaters, however there is a very solid connection between floaters and anxiety. Not sure exactly why but it's very common, but can affect people at varying degrees. Here's something I just quickly found:

"When you suffer from intense anxiety, two things happen to your eyes. First, your pupils dilate. When you fight or flight system is activated, your pupils dilate to make it easier to make quick decisions (in a fight, you need to be able to see a punch coming). This is what causes issues like light sensitivity and eye aches.

You also experience a tightening of the muscles in your face. This may constrict the blood vessels to the eyes and cause further eye pain, aches, or even some blurred vision."

 

Thanks @Marcini, that's very interesting. Beginning about five years ago, I had two years of very extreme stress at work -- dozens of people being laid off with no warning, escorted out of the building by security, it was awful. We lived in a climate of fear every day. Things are better now but I believe the stress of that time really took a toll on my body -- and probably helped lay the groundwork for my tinnitus, even though my T (I believe) was triggered from barotrauma on a plane flight last year.

I also have had that muscle tightening, eye aches you speak of. I was aware of the pupil reaction triggered by the "fight or flight" reaction. I developed panic attacks post tinnitus; one symptom when an attack began is that my vision rapidly would get very blurry, like I had jumped into a pool of water. I did some research and figured out what was causing it.

 

Good site, very informative.

 

I've had floaters for about 15+ years. I used to notice them a lot, but I haven't even thought about them for quite a while. They don't go away, but you'll get to the point where you don't even notice them..

 

Yup, I got those pesky things. Getting use to them although my right eye has a blob like one which always lands on the word when I am reading. Getting old is so strange. It is also a challenge when I am drawing. Perfect thing for an artistic person who loves to draw. Good grief!

 

Mine started when I thought I saw a small gnat-like bug cross my kitchen counter. I looked again and it was there following the same path. Later, I developed a cataract due to a steroid injection in that eye. I was diagnosed with uveitus (both eyes). I'm used to being a bit buggy by now. It began around 2000.

Sorry, robinbird, about the bugs in an artist who loves to draw. My mom's mediums were pastels and charcoal and despite her trifocals, she continued her drawings and winning contests.

Love your statement and concur, "Growing old is so strange." I see kids and relate to them. I look in the mirror and am figurative not sure who's looking back (and it has nothing to do with my eyesight ). I ride a motorcycle and hope to continue for another year or so. I've never had an accident because my focus and awareness has to be keen or I won't get on it.

 

I have floaters as well. Fortunatelly not too many though so I would not concider it even a minor problem. I have also noticed the blue field entoptic phenomenon conciously for the first time two years ago.

I am only aware of these visual phenomenons when I feel anxious or tired. I can easily ignore them otherwise.

I sometimes wonder if tinnitus applies to the same category to some extend...

 

About 8 weeks after the tinnitus started, I started to notice quite a few floaters. Mainly small, but one or two bigger ones that when I finally managed to isolate on a light background was loads of cells on top of each other, like a clump. I honestly think there is a fair chance they were there all.along. Tinnitus pricks your senses super high, like a fox when his ears shoot up. I think the difference with T, is that by middle age I have a hunch everybody has floaters, but many people don't notice them.

 

We are all designed to grow old. We are all pretty much alike. I turned 61 in October. Never thought about my health. In fact, I am healthy. It's like a switch was turned on and things started happening. Last year I had a bad cold with severe coughing. I know I detached the Retina. I saw flashes then came the floaters. I went to a specialist and he said I was in no danger. It took a while for my eye to calm down. Now I have not just a spot but an ameba like thing floating in the right. Shortly after I got some in my left but not as bad. I also have a cataract in the right eye. One of these days I need to get that fixed. Just worry it will make the ameba worse. I was devastated for a while. But. I still draw and paint, in fact I am doing some of my best stuff. I get bummed when I go outside and see the snow. Lots of floaters!! This year I come down with the lion roaring in my right ear. Was getting use to all of that and the changes and yesterday I had a fire alarm go off in my good ear, the right one. I did not do lorazepan the night before and maybe that is what happened. Well, every decade is a challenge. I guess this new one is going to be not without some. But,thankfully, I may just ease into retirement now.

 

Hi, robinbird: I'll be the same age as you at slightly before you. I'm glad to see someone my age out here . I have the amoebas, too. Without side-tracking this thread, I'm tossing in a bit of laughter courtesy of the one and only Gary Larson. It's a short cartoon in his hysterical style. One amoeba was relaxing on a couch watching t.v. The other turns to him or it and says, "You are the lowest form of life on earth."

My retina is not detached and I know about this but cannot relate completely. Tinnitus is affected by our emotions. That's why I needed to take a break from this forum for a bit (okay, okay ... maybe 1.5 days and it was a break for me).
I had no idea stressors increased floaters. But our situations while similar enough aren't exact. What's good to see (besides you) and more importantly is your artwork continues and didn't let the age-related complications stop it. It's soothing work (I hope despite the roars and the floaters).

 

I went through hospice with my mom at her home who passed from lung cancer. That was a difficult time for me to say the least. I don't know if that trauma or a cold did a number on my eye. But, I know we are not alike in 'soul', but I think the mechanics of humans are alike, bones, teeth, etc...... No, I will not stop drawing until I am blind. Hopefully that won't happen. I am lol out load. Got to have a sense of humor in all of this or else life just stops being fun. I am too YOUNG for that. This is the art I did while getting use to the floaters. Sqrew floaters!

 

I'm glad you had hospice for your mom. Even though again, the situations were similar, since we're all different, I don't know what you went through. I had to be in control because the rest of my family couldn't deal with it. But it (don't take this the wrong way and it's not even meant as a pun) killed me... the entire process. I was finally able to convince my mom (whose lung cancer I watched grow) to allow hospice to help out in her own time. Two weeks before she died from lung cancer at home as requested, hospice set up everything. She passed away in the early morning hours. I was fortunate enough to have been with her. My dad opted for another way to look at hospice. Get it, use it, and he knew he didn't have to die within the six months given to him. He lived on for over 9 more years and allowed it again but this time, he fought everything and he was very aware he was leaving the life he loved so very much.

Your artwork is absolutely lovely. I can't tell (and it's not my vision) if it's oil, acrylic, or a photo... blown up it's looks like less of a photo but no less lovely. It doesn't look like pastel as there appears to be a preciseness and clarity that I never saw in pastels. What is the medium? I'm also horrible and inept at identify plants and flowers other than primarily the obvious. What is it? (I'm agnostic but it doesn't stop me from using religious words.) They're leaning on each other for support reaching up to heaven. Or the non-religious way: ... reaching for the freedom of the sky .

I blew it up and now have one more highly unlikely medium because it's so difficult to work with ... water color but it's too defined for that. And you did it with worsening vision and floaters. Frickin' amazing. My mom (who I loved dearly) gave me various items like charcoal, drawing paper, and more one holiday. Some years later, she made it gently and firmly clear I didn't share her talent. She was right and I tried ... But she couldn't whip out the key melody of Beethoven's, "Ninth Symphony," on a harmonica or part of Mozart's, "Minute in G." She had her talents and I had my odd ones.

 

Loosing parents is difficult. Sometimes, looking back on my life, thus far, it all seems surreal. I did what my mom wanted, although, I think, I would have liked it in hindsight, to have put her is a hospice facility, not totally in her home. That was my sister's choice, since she was the health proxy, or whatever the correct word is. I actually wound up in the hospital with anxiety attack. It was so hard to give her morphine and all the other drugs. It was just plain hard. But, we got through it. I had very special moments with her, that I may not say I had the same growing up with her. It had its good points and difficult points.

I was a professional designer most of my life. I used to design wallcoverings and textiles. So, I have been drawing since I left home at 19. Probably the reason why my eyes are blown out. LOL. OMG! Most of my life I did traditional art, all mediums. What you see are foxtails. I originally photographed them from my friend's yard. I use a digital program called Artrage 4. It is a software program that enables the artist to use tools that look and feel like traditional ones. The beauty of this is that I can enlarge the work as I go along, to compensate for my eye strain. I did this using the airbrush tool. I wish I had this program when I had my own business, because back then, everything was drawn by hand and all errors had to be redrawn. No computer. I have a website with some of my work on it. It is my most favorite thing to do. I love doing portraits. Thank you for your comments. I am humbled. I love that you play piano. Wow. You are certainly talented, to say the least. I banged around on one, as my parents had one. My dad bought it for mom when she was about 24 or so. My sister took it when she passed.

I really like your description of the foxgloves. I thought how majestic they are and all they needed was a sky. But it is symbolic of spiritual things. I am spiritual, i deplore all of the so called right roaders to god. I am spiritual in another sense.

I usually don't see the floaters anymore unless I go outside after a snowfall. Or I open the shades in the morning. I keep the light down low on the computer. Thank god my left eye is still ok. I have a cataract in the right too. Dr said she would do surgery but I have been putting that off. I fear the laser may mess up the ameba. But then again, it could make it better. Not yet ready for that risk.

Here is a portrait I did of Marilyn Monroe. It took several months. This was done in Adobe Illustrator. This is when I started the eye floaters. I left this for a long time as I thought maybe straining did this. I don't know. When we have these peculiar things happen to us we don't know what to think especially since the Dr seems to always say "Everyone gets these. Live with it" I thought, really. Everyone gets these things?????? "How 'bout you Doc, do you have them!?"

 

In order to respond to you and keep it straight, I added numbers to your paragraphs - age-related screw ups and how to avoid them. First - I spent my career in IT. Later roles were in management. I was used to taking control (only where needed) but I was also the only one in my family, it appeared, who could do it. Family helped but the major decision were left to me. I could do them and collapse (literally) later.

I'm sorry you had an anxiety attack. I had one ONCE in NYC and I had to refocus and ground myself. I found a guy with a dog being walked. I knew it would help reorient me. It was scary, though.

1. I was the protector of my parent's wishes. (Like your sister being the health care proxy (you got that right) but mom didn't have one.)
-- In the same year mom died, my "stepmother" was in the hospital in Evanston, IL and my youngest sis flew in from Guam (she was in the Air Force) to make decisions. I flew in from NY/NJ. She was being led by my brother back near east whose only focus was telling my 16 year younger sis what to do. I called him and yelled at him (it was a firm voice - I can count the # of times I've really yelled on my hands) to stay out of it, he doesn't know what M looked like (I didn't recognize her and she was on a ventilator). The nurses came to me because no DNR had been signed, the results of which were ... I'd say terrifying to them. I stopped it and talked to my little sis. My bro butted out. My sis gathered friends around the bed, told stories and memories, and her mom flat-lined. It was weird...
-- My own mom hadn't assigned a proxy either but I remember standing in front of mom in the hospital where my older sister was talking about mom continuing to take vitamins and stuff. I told her to STOP, it was too late. ... I also called my bro again from a payphone in NJ and said the same thing.
-- Dad ... It was easier and this time I was the health care proxy (finally). He didn't want to go into a nursing home and this time, I had to debate my 1 year younger sis to give it up - she wanted him to go into a rehab center. For what? He died maybe a month later.

2. Okay! I worked on computers all my life and had no clue! But it was fun trying to fit in in the various molds I knew. I know what foxtails are but they're not part of my normal vocabulary. We're in Asheville and I think a lot of work sold here is produced using a computer. My partner upgraded to a Canon D70 - something like that - and she used Lightbox for a while. It's mind-boggling how you can turn a photo into a drawing. I grew up with all the things my mom created with her pastels (portraits and violent storms at sea) and charcoal. She created great portraits. Her full bodies were never in proportion. When we packed up from NY to move here, I gave my older sis "Blue Man." It was charcoal on blue drawing paper. He had his arms on his waist and his head and upper body were slightly turned. The muscles were great and it was special to all of us. Mom did Vernon Jordan - a portrait of charcoal on a beige'ish drawing paper. It was 3D work and I'll never understand how she created the face coming off the paper. I sent Mr. Jordan a photo of it and asked if he wanted it. They paid for shipping and last I heard it was in his conference room. No need to be humbled by what I said. I write truths. It was gorgeous and a challenge for figuring the medium .
-- I could somewhat play piano (I heard something and could poorly recreate it) but besides viola (the cross between a violin (too high pitched) and cello, my odd instrument of choice was the harmonica. But again, I grew up in a family where music was a focal point. My bro (the dope who I yelled at) but he actually helped my dad using non-traditional treatment combined with lighter doses of Western treatments and he really was and remains a brainiac without knowing his limitations. He had a full scholarship to Julliard but his love was acting and singing. Dad won and lost - my bro went to Julliard (he played Peter and the Wolf and Rhapsody in Blue easily on our grand piano and I'd sit next to him in love with the music) and he dropped out. Oh, yes, and his main instrument was the string bass - he won awards with that.

3. We're in Asheville, a mecca of spirituality and healing. I'm spiritual in a sense and my partner is much more so than. But, we mix traditions to suit us. A yarhzite candle burns now since her stepfather just passed away. We do this by mom's interpretation, not as the Jewish religion dictates. I asked my partner if she wanted to light one. Yes, so I rushed out to buy a couple. We have another friend, going through traditional medical hell, who was fit and active and a retired Colonel at West Point. R knew the treatments at Sloane-Kettering might kill her (horrendous watching this from far away) and I'm prepared because while she left, she was rushed back and isn't able to eat. Excuse me but writing this just makes me feel a bit like crap.

4. I wondered if you saw floaters due to the intensity of the light on the snow. I asked my opthamologist if the pieces of retina (bugs) could be removed and it was recommended I not do this because it could do more harm than good. One honest answer from a local doctor, thank goodness.

5. I am the only one I know personally who has amoebas and bugs running in my eyes. Not everyone has them and for me, it wasn't age-related. GOOOOOOD COMEBACK TO YOUR DOC! Really, that's great.
-- I mix spirituality under the guise of religion in analogies as they make sense and it made complete sense to me in your image of the foxtails. They're almost intertwined. The other non-religious analogy works, too. for me. They are reaching to the sky. The faint softening of detail of the flowers inside and out reaching upwards threw me... too soft for so many mediums and so pretty that I couldn't figure it out other than it's beautiful.
-- I'm blown away by Marilyn. We watched a series on tv (didn't last long but I was hooked) about the cast doing a song and dance about Marilyn with all the usual drama around the show.
-- ? - Why the slightly pinkish hue around her hair? I have to keep scrolling up and clicking on it. It's beautiful, sexy, and a little sad that I see in her somewhat vacant (but gorgeous) eyes. It reflects what I know about her life. So, that makes it also awesome. That's what it evokes in me.

 

I woke up after a long operation May 2014 with severely impaired vision in my remaining eye. Had cancer so one eye removed along with a lot of that side of face and a skin graft slapped over the hole. No one wanted to listen just neurological or pschological they implied/inferred but wouldn't put that in writing. After numerous visits to different specialists/opthamologists still no luck. They do their intial tests and examinations ( slit lamp, goldman lens ) say nothing wrong no point in doing more sophisticated/advanced tests or examinations. They should see what I see. I would gladly swap vision with one of their eyes. Vision has been slowly clearing and two months ago began to be able to see floaters. Can now see numerous ( hundred+ ?) both dark dot/squiqqly line as well as amoebas cell type semi-translucent. Still clearing and hopeful. These specialists don't know everything and maybe sometimes jump to conclusions or assume based on their learning and experience.
Don't ever give up. If you have a bad case of floaters it is different from a small number of.
Still hopeful they will clear up slowly and that they are the complete cause of my blurred/clouded/obscured vision.
Good to read these pages

 

I'm not surprised, so cannot say and mean OMG... I'm glad your vision is slowly healing. Most doctors I've seen in the U.S. tend NOT to listen to me. When they do, it's rare. I had the same experience with a neurologist who didn't believe what I was saying about my headaches. I figured it out myself without the need to pursue it through the often deaf and blind community of physicians.

Take care.

 

I've had them since I was a child, but I'm short-sighted.

 

I used to have some small mosquito like thingies in the side of the right eye. Didn't notice them much even against the sky. But last week, all hell broke loose. LOL. Hundreds of small black dots plus much larger patches. I just saw an eye specialist today. No retina detachment, no bleeding. Can't do anything for me though and learn to live with it. Sigh. Sound like my ENT. But why so many small black dots in one day? Well, I have to be positive that at least my vision is still there. LOL. Now I just have to find the darkest type of sun glasses to go fishing on bright sunny days. Any recommendation of dark sun glasses for people with floaters?

 

Floaters often settle eventually, they shouldn't be that noticeable when looking at non-white bright backgrounds.

A sudden increase in floaters and flashing lights should always be checked out immediately to rule of retinal detachment!

 

I found this interesting thread via http://floatertalk.yuku.com/

"Why YAG Laser REALLY isn't for young people with eye floaters"

http://floatertalk.yuku.com/reply/53613/YAG-Laser-REALLY-isnt-young-people-eye-floaters#reply-53613

 

About two years ago, I asked a specialist if there was a way to remove floaters. I have bug-like things running across an eye (pieces of my retina). I have amoebas floating in both. I was told by the doctor a resounding NO the floater surgery may cause my eyesight to be worse and worse. He's not touching me. There are ways to do it. I'll attack myself in this - if I ever considered sucking out the floaters or mention on this forum that I'm doing it, send the guys with a straight jacket over. I've done enough to my body.

The yuku link has been banished from my links.

 

What do U mean the link has been banished ???

Meaning, U no longer go on the website ?? Was it unhelpful ??

 

I had my floaters removed by Dr Stalmans in Leuven, Belgium. The procedure is called a vitrectomy. This was in 2006 and 2007. I have no cataract or what so ever...and have full 20/20 vision again. I had so many floaters my whole vision became blury. In Belgium this is a common procedure and I met people all of the world there who came to Leuven to have this done! I also kept a diary for 2 years on the Yuki forum, but I cannot find it any more the title was something like "I HAVE A FOV DONE BY DR STALMANS"...FOV stands for Floaters Only Vitrectomy.

I thought when this happend to me it was the worst period of my life...and after this I was the most happy person in the world......until june 2013..... T.......... T is much worse than floaters.

 

First, I really like the photo. It's very warming and I know you must've been in pain.

Second, if I sound curt - it's not directed at you. My tinnitus and lack of sleep has made me extremely exhausted. My writing tends to get a bit discombobulated, too.

I've been told the floaters (I remember the name "vitrectomy") - amoeba cells and retina pieces couldn't be removed without high risk to my eyes. I'm messed up enough already and hearing that more than once is enough. I'm no longer willing to take chances on things like this. I also believe (and have seen) other countries are far more medically advanced than the U.S. (duh ... no surprise here).

I looked at enough links on yuku (I saw the comments posted here) that for my own sanity, I decided not to follow it.

 

Ok, I understand.